Method for the setup and/or the reconfiguration of an industrial plant, particularly for the manufacturing of motor vehicles or subassemblies thereof

Abstract

Described herein is a method for setting up and/or reconfiguring an industrial plant, in particular for the manufacture of motor vehicles or sub-assemblies thereof. The method includes providing a plurality of mobile processing stations, each mobile processing station comprising a palletisable platform and at least one interface unit provided on the palletisable platform and configured for the coupling of the mobile processing station with one or more further adjacent mobile processing stations; arranging mobile processing stations according to a pre-set layout; and coupling at least one interface unit of each mobile processing station with the at least one interface unit of one or more further mobile processing adjacent stations thereto. Each interface unit includes at least one of the following: an electrical and/or electronic coupling device; a fluidic coupling device; and a mechanical coupling device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for setting up and/or reconfiguring an industrial plant, comprising:
 providing a plurality of mobile processing stations, each mobile processing station of plurality of mobile processing stations comprising a palletisable platform and at least one interface unit provided on the palletisable platform and configured for coupling of that mobile processing station with one or more further adjacent mobile processing stations; 
 arranging said plurality of mobile processing stations according to a predetermined layout; 
 coupling the at least one interface unit of each mobile processing station with the at least one interface unit of one or more further mobile processing stations adjacent thereto, and 
 prior to arranging the plurality of mobile processing stations according to the pre-set layout, shipping the plurality of mobile processing stations to one or more concerned destinations for the set up of the industrial plant, 
 wherein each interface unit comprises at least one of the following:
 an electrical and/or electronic coupling device; 
 a fluidic coupling device; and 
 a mechanical coupling device. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each mobile processing station of the plurality of mobile processing stations and the one or more further mobile processing stations comprises at least one of the following:
 one or more processing machines; 
 one or more magazines for workpieces or components; 
 one or more tool magazines; and 
 one or more electronic controllers. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , further including a reconfiguration step comprising:
 providing an additional mobile processing station in addition to the plurality of mobile processing stations and/or the one or more further mobile processing stations; 
 displacing of one or more mobile processing stations of the plurality of mobile processing stations and/or the one or more further mobile processing stations so as to create a vacancy between two adjacent mobile processing stations of the plurality of mobile processing stations and/or the one or more further mobile processing stations; and 
 inserting said additional mobile processing station into said vacancy. 
 
     
     
       4. The method second  claim 3 , wherein said displacing of one or more mobile processing stations comprises, prior to displacement, decoupling the at least one interface unit of each mobile processing station of the two adjacent mobile processing stations. 
     
     
       5. The method  claim 1 , further including a reconfiguration step comprising:
 identifying a mobile processing station of the plurality of mobile processing stations and/or the one or more further mobile processing stations to be eliminated; 
 decoupling the at least one interface unit of the mobile processing station to be eliminated from the at least one interface unit of each mobile processing station adjacent the mobile processing station to be eliminated; and 
 removing the mobile processing station to be eliminated. 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , further including displacing one or more mobile processing stations of the plurality of mobile processing stations and/or the one or more further mobile processing stations so as to fill a vacancy created with removal of the mobile processing station to be eliminated. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said providing the plurality of mobile processing stations comprises providing the plurality of mobile processing stations on a basis of a local demand for goods to be produced by the industrial plant, specific to each of said concerned destinations involved. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising, subsequent to the setting up of the industrial plant, varying a production capacity thereof by increasing or eliminating groups of the plurality of mobile processing stations and/or the one or more further mobile processing stations in one or more of said concerned destinations involved. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 8 , further including shipping the groups of the plurality of mobile stations eliminated in one of said concerned destinations to another of said concerned destinations where an increase in production capacity is required.